


Partners

by PhenixFleur



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Bill is shady even when he's fluffy, But now it does, Dipper is basically Ash, Gen, Pokemon AU, Pokemon!Bill, This didn't need to exist, he's very fluffy, of course Mabel has a Marill, platonic billdip, that Poochyena did nothing wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-06-02 13:39:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6568465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhenixFleur/pseuds/PhenixFleur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dipper is having a fair amount of trouble catching his first Pokémon in an attempt to keep up with Mabel, and when he encounters a rather unfriendly Poochyena while poking around in the woods help arrives in the form of a slick-talking bundle of fur that may or may not have ulterior motives for assisting him.  (Pokémon AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partners

**Author's Note:**

> I love Pokémon, and I love Gravity Falls, so this happened. It's a one-shot thus far, but I might do more at some point. ^_^
> 
> Poké!Bill is heavily based on an Eevee, with [this](http://bipolar-berry-crunch.tumblr.com/post/138425527972/nightpanda13-so-i-decided-to-colour-this-it) design improved upon by a friend and the following stats (dear god I am a geek):
> 
> **No.** ???   
>  Deceit Pokémon  
>  **Type:** Dark/Ghost  
>  **Height:** Varies  
>  **Weight:** Varies
> 
> **Ability:**   
> **Puppetmaster:** Capable of hijacking opposing Pokémon’s actions
> 
> **Moves:**  
>  **Dark Void:** Opposing Pokémon are dragged into a world of total darkness that makes them sleep.  
>  **Dream Eater:** The user eats the dreams of a sleeping target. It absorbs half the damage caused to heal the user’s HP.  
>  **Nightmare:** A sleeping target sees a nightmare that inflicts some damage every turn.  
>  **Flatter:** Flattery is used to confuse the target. However, it also raises the target’s Sp. Atk stat.
> 
> **Pokédex Entry:** This Pokémon uses whatever form of deception it can to draw in prey for either consumption or control. It can change appearance at will.
> 
> Additional Notes: I modeled the woods near the Mystery Shack after Petalburg Woods in Hoenn, so that's the Pokédex this follows. One of the headcanons I saw for the Pokémon universe is that being assigned a ‘starter’ Pokémon by a professor isn’t a common occurrence (after all, Wally doesn't receive one and has to catch his own). So Dipper and Mabel have to catch their own instead of just choosing one.

Catching the first Pokémon of his seemingly ill-fated career as a trainer wasn’t going too well, and the realization that he might end up spending yet another day without a Pokémon of his own was beginning to weigh Dipper down. The sun dipped ever lower beneath the horizon, casting lengthening shadows throughout the woods and making it difficult to continue reading his field guide. Dipper was glad he’d had the foresight to bring extra batteries for his flashlight, given that he now appeared to be hopelessly lost as well as empty-handed. 

Great. 

“This _might_ have been a mistake,” he muttered, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree and sinking into the crisp grass at its base. Had everything gone according to plan he would have been back at the Shack by now, showing off his new Taillow or Zigzagoon to Mabel; the woods near his and Mabel’s granduncle’s dilapidated tourist trap were  _full_ of species of Pokémon that he’d never come across at home. It would have made a little more sense to bring his twin along to help; Mabel’s first day as a new trainer had gone quite well, earning her a relatively friendly Marill as her partner after a good hour or so of coaxing it out into the open. She hadn’t even bothered with a Pokéball, simply scooping the Pokémon up and cuddling it as it burbled happily in her arms. Neither Dipper’s luck nor his charisma were on a comparable level, resulting in all of his attempts at catching a low level Pokémon the traditional way failing miserably. Perhaps Mabel’s Marill could have been useful in weakening a Pokémon for capture, but the ease with which his sister had acquired her first Pokémon had him determined to do so for himself without assistance. 

What if he _never_ managed to catch a Pokémon of his own? What if he were forced to return to their parents at the end of summer with nothing to show for his three months away from them? 

The sound of what were probably numerous Wurmple hidden within the foliage calling to each other as dusk set in filled the air, and a light breeze caused goosebumps to rise along his bare forearms. It was probably time to give up for the day and work on finding his way back. At this point Mabel was very likely freaking out over his absence, and despite being miffed over how easy things were going for her from the get-go Dipper really didn’t want to worry her. He tucked his field guide into his knapsack and slipped it on over his shoulders. There was still enough light to see by for awhile before having to break out the flashlight. 

As he stood up to leave, something rustled in the bushes a few feet away from him, catching his attention instantly. Dipper froze; his mind drew a blank for a few seconds before it dawned on him that this could be his chance. He hastily reached for the empty Pokéball in his pocket, turning to face the source of the disturbance. If he remembered correctly Zigzagoon were just as active at night; hopefully this one would be fairly young and weak enough to be captured without as much effort as he’d been expending all day long. 

The creature that emerged from the bushes was most certainly _not_ a Zigzagoon. 

Dipper had studied the pages of his field guide obsessively enough to know what the small, dark-furred canine was the moment it made its appearance - a Poochyena. He hadn’t seen one in person, as they weren’t particularly common back home and he didn’t know anyone that owned one. As enticing as this thought was, the Pokémon standing before him did _not_ look as if catching it would be a particularly easy task - nor did it look very happy to see him. The Poochyena’s red eyes fixed on him, yellow scleras gleaming in the dim light, and its lips twisted into a snarl. 

Dipper went rigid with fear, still clutching the Pokéball in his pocket. Throwing it at the Poochyena without weakening it first wasn’t a good idea, but neither was turning tail and running; he wasn’t sure whether he could outrun it or not, and given that he was sort of _lost_ running aimlessly didn’t seem like a good idea either.

Well, this was bad. 

For a brief moment of insanity Dipper wondered whether he could attempt to calm the Pokémon as Mabel had; the Poochyena nipped that in the bud with a menacing growl that precluded any hope of the situation ending without a fight. 

‘Need a hand, kid?' 

Dipper jolted, suddenly forgetting the threat in front of him while he glanced over his shoulder, searching for the voice he’d heard. It sounded like a _person_ , not a Pokémon (especially given that it spoke perfect English), but there was no one in sight save for a yellow blur that darted past him, brushing against his calf as it passed. It paused with its back to him, positioned between Dipper and the irate Poochyena, and it was then that Dipper managed to get a good look at the newcomer. It didn’t resemble any Pokémon he was familiar with, somewhat feline with golden and black fur that seemed to form a pattern that reminded him of bricks with a luminous electric blue tail that resembled crackling flames. A small black top hat hovered over its head between two lengthy black ears. 

'I’ve got this covered.’ The voice entered his ears from nowhere in particular, and Dipper found himself staring rather stupidly at the Pokémon crouching in front of him. It couldn’t be the Pokémon…could it?  

'Well it’s definitely not this mutt,’ the voice responded, sarcastically. The Pokémon at his feet turned back to look at him with intense eyes that matched its fur, and Dipper noticed that it had what might have been a third eye (shut tight for the moment) dead center on its forehead like a Persian’s jewel. 'Geez, you’re supposed to be the smart one.' 

The Poochyena let out a harsh bark, reminding them of its presence, and the strange Pokémon looked away somewhat haughtily. 'Hold that thought.' 

It slunk forward in the grass gracefully on black-furred paws with its tail swishing in its wake, perfect calm measured against the opposing Pokémon’s aggression, and stopped a few feet away from it, sitting on its haunches. Dipper paled, unsure of how react; his supposed savior wasn’t much larger than his antagonist. As much as he needed help himself the thought of this creature getting mortally wounded on his behalf was untenable. He made up his mind, clenching his fists and preparing to rush forward…and was stunned by the sight before him. 

The Poochyena was biting _itself_ , snarling incoherently as it stumbled across the grass as if intoxicated; a faint blue aura surrounded its body, and it was no longer focused on either Dipper or the Pokémon conversing with him. All the while the latter remained seated, tilting its head to the side and actually licking its paw daintily while the Poochyena’s actions grew more and more erratic with every passing second. After a minute or two of the display the Pokémon collapsed, breathing heavily, and a golden eye met Dipper’s, glancing at the hand in his pocket. 'Let 'er rip, kid.' 

Dipper realized what the creature meant almost immediately and nodded, withdrawing the Pokéball and tossing it at the exhausted Poochyena; a flash of violet light encased it and it disappeared from sight, safely enclosed within the Pokéball that landed in the grass where it had fallen. 

Dipper’s heart raced out of control and he felt just a touch lightheaded as he closed the distance between himself and the Pokéball, reaching for it. It was still warm and solid in a way it hadn’t been before, now that it was inhabited. 

He’d caught his first Pokémon. 

Dipper squealed in a burst of excitement. It wasn’t the most manly expression, but at that moment he didn’t particularly care. 

'Congrats, kiddo.' 

The feline creature who’d assisted him sidled up against his leg. The flames of its tail were faintly warm but overall harmless against his exposed flesh. 'Nice catch.' 

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Dipper admitted, tucking the Pokéball back into his pocket and kneeling so that he and the unidentified Pokémon were at eye level. “Thanks." 

'No problem, Pine Tree. You look like you needed help.' 

With the threat gone, he could now get a better look at the Pokémon who’d come to his rescue. Its fur was impressively sleek yet when he reached out to stroke the creature’s head he found it was softer than it looked. "What are you?" 

The Pokémon tilted its head to the side. 'More like _who_. I’m not really keen on this master thing.' 

This was weird, but in all honesty it wasn’t the strangest Pokémon Dipper had ever seen, and more than likely it was a Psychic type if it was capable of conversing with him telepathically. He’d just never expected a Pokémon to speak so eloquently. 'Call me Bill.' 

"Thanks, Bill,” Dipper smiled, patting its head again as Bill leaned into his touch with something that sounded for all the world like a purr. He (Dipper _guessed_ the Pokémon was male, although he didn’t even know what kind of Pokémon Bill was so he could be wrong) swished the flames that composed his tail once more, then rose to his paws. 

'It’s getting late, Pine Tree. You shouldn’t be here after dark.' 

“Yeah…” Dipper rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly. “That’s another problem. I’m not too sure where we are." 

Bill shook his head, then drew closer to him, indicating that he wanted to be picked up. Dipper lifted the Pokémon into his arms; he’d been expected him to be warm like most mammalian Pokémon but Bill’s furry body was cool to the touch. But again, it wasn’t the strangest thing he’d ever encountered or heard of.  'Alright, kid, I’ve got a proposition for you. I’m not a fan of the servitude business, but I recognize talent when I see it and _you’re_ definitely going places.' 

Bill sounded for all the world like a conman, almost a match for Stan, but he’d been a huge help, and whatever ability he’d used on the Poochyena had worked wonders. Dipper was willing to hear him out. 'How about a partnership?’ The Pokémon’s eyes glittered in the darkening woods. 'I can give you a leg up on the competition.' 

"And what’s in it for you?" 

Bill grinned, displaying a mouthful of jagged teeth that quickly convinced Dipper that he could have overcome his opponent even without the use of whatever Psychic move he’d employed earlier. 'Nothing big. I just want to help you achieve your dreams, Pine Tree. It’ll give me a sense of purpose, you know?’  

Dipper faltered for a moment, considering the situation at hand. As far as he knew Bill was probably an incredibly rare Psychic Pokémon he’d lucked out on running into, and he seemed to be much more powerful than any of the other creatures in the forest. Even the Poochyena he’d managed to catch paled in comparison. Sure, Bill was a _little_ creepy, but the thought of starting out his career as a trainer with a Pokémon that was not only highly intelligent but obviously skilled was too good to pass up. 

Also Bill was really soft and cuddly. That wasn’t much of a factor, but it was a nice bonus. 

"Deal,” he replied, pressing his fingertip against Bill’s outstretched paw. 

'Good call, kid.’ Bill leapt from his arms, landing on all fours gracefully. 'Come on, let’s get out of here.' 

Dipper followed his new partner, stuffing his flashlight back into his knapsack before departing. Bill’s tail provided all the illumination he needed as they made their way through the woods towards the Shack and the beginning of their journey together.


End file.
